Articles Tagged With: Real Estate

March 27, 2017

FHA Loan Rules For Part-Time Income

A reader asked us a question in the comments section this week about part-time income and how it may or may not qualify as verifiable income for an FHA loan. The reader asks: “My file is with the underwriter for review, they have asked for an VOE from my employer but they stated I work 16 hours a week (position hired into) but I always work more the 16 hr a week for the last 5-6 months and I’m going to continue to work more then that, they have already seen check stubs and both w2 from 2015 and 2016. Could this deny me for my loan?” We first have to determine what the FHA definition of part-time income. HUD 4000.1 gives lenders guidance in this area beginning with the | more...

March 24, 2017

FHA Loans For Non-Standard Properties

By Joe Wallace

In a recent blog post we discussed FHA loan requirements for properties that had non-residential zoning or other non-standard features that could make it subject to local zoning laws or other ordinances. But what about properties that may be zoned residential, have all the usual characteristics of a residential property or typical home, but are still considered non-standard? FHA mortgage loan rules in HUD 4000.1 address such conditions. On page 498, in the section where appraisal rules are located, there is a section titled Non-Standard House Styles, which includes the following: Non-Standard House Style refers to unique Properties in the market area, including log houses, earth sheltered housing, dome houses, houses with lower than normal ceiling heights, and other houses that in the Appraisers professional opinion, are unique. Note that | more...

March 21, 2017

FHA Home Loans and Zoning: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

How are FHA home loans affected by zoning laws? A reader asked a question about this in our comments section recently: “I have a family who wants to purchase a home on commercial zoned property. The County has given a letter stating that they would allow the rebuilding of the residence as long as less than 75% was damaged in a disaster. The lenders are refusing to allow an FHA residential loan for the property. It is clearly residential use in commercial zoning. Whey would they refuse to abide by the rules you state?” This question is in reference to a 2011 blog post titled, “Can I Get An FHA Loan For A Commercial Property?” The FHA loan rules quoted in that post have since been superseded in their entirety | more...

Can I buy a manufactured home with an FHA loan?

March 20, 2017

FHA Loan Rules For Employment: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

FHA loan rules require the lender to verify a borrower’s employment-how long the borrower has been employed, the nature and duration of the job, the pay, and other factors that may be required by lender standards or state law. Sometimes it is easy to misunderstand these requirements, but many simply don’t know what the lender is looking for when verifying a borrower for an FHA mortgage loan. One reader got in touch with us to learn what the FHA loan rules are for employment, asking, “What is the required period of employment for FHA?” HUD 4000.1 provides the answer, stating: “For all Employment related Income, the Mortgagee must verify the Borrowers most recent two years of employment and income, and document using one of the following methods” which include “traditional” | more...

How much can I borrow with an FHA refinance loan?

March 14, 2017

Mortgage Markets and FHA Loans

By Joe Wallace

At the beginning of 2017, Forbes.com published a housing outlook for 2017 which included predictions from experts about what could happen this year. Three months into the new year, how accurate were some of the highlights of this piece? How do current trends affect mortgage loan applicants and those looking to refinance? A quick look at current events shows that some of the observations made at Forbes.com in an article by Samantha Sharf are absolutely right and there’s no reason to expect anything different in the short to mid-term. Consider the prediction made in this piece about mortgage rates. According to the article: “By historic standards rates are still low. In 2017 experts expect movement, but differ on where for the 30-year fixed rate will land. Estimates out there range | more...

March 2, 2017

FHA Loan FICO Score Rules

By Joe Wallace

What are the FHA loan program’s FICO score requirements? That’s a common question, and a good one to ask as there are several things to keep in mind about how the FHA and participating lenders will view your credit scores. FHA loan rules say that borrowers with FICO scores between 500 and 579 are technically eligible for FHA mortgages (more on that in a moment) but a higher down payment (10%) is required. For borrowers with FICO scores of 580 or higher on their credit report, maximum financing is allowed with a required down payment of only 3.5%. These are simply FHA loan program minimum standards. Your lender may require higher FICO scores, and typically scores in the mid-600s tend to have a better chance to qualify for loan approval. | more...

February 28, 2017

FHA Well Water Requirements: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

What do FHA appraisal requirements have to say about the testing of well water? A reader got in touch with us recently to ask us about well water testing: “Is there an automatic testing of the well required just because it is surrounded by extensive farm land? I know that is required for USDA but wasnt aware that FHA required it. A reviewer is telling me it is in the 4000.1 Handbook and I dont remember seeing that.” The answer to this particular question is addressed in HUD 4000.1 on page 495, but before we get to the specifics, it’s important to point out that FHA loan standards are often not the only ones that must be met in situations like these. The local health authority may require testing of | more...

February 27, 2017

Types of Homes Eligible For FHA Mortgages

By Bruce Reichstein

What kinds of property types can be purchased with an FHA mortgage loan? It’s a simple question, but there are some occasional misconceptions about FHA requirements for single family homes that borrowers should know about as they plan their mortgage. There are rules on eligible property types that can be purchased with an FHA mortgage loan. These rules are found in HUD 4000.1, and include the following guidance to the participating FHA lender: “FHAs programs differ from one another primarily in terms of what types of Properties and financing are eligible. Except as otherwise stated in this SF Handbook, FHAs Single Family programs are limited to one- to four-family Properties that are owner-occupied Principal Residences.” The phrase, “owner-occupied principal residences” is an important one-FHA mortgage loan rules include an occupancy | more...

February 17, 2017

Gaps In Employment, Reductions of Income: FHA Loan Rules

By Joe Wallace

FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 for single family home loans and refinance loans include instructions for the lender on how to verify a borrower’s income and employment. There are several reasons why this verification must be made, but one important one is to insure the income used to qualify for an FHA loan is stable, reliable, and likely to continue. The lender is basically looking for indications that this is so, but how does the loan officer interpret financial setbacks such as gaps in employment or reductions of income? What are the FHA requirements in this area? HUD 4000.1 addresses these issues. For example, when it comes to certain gaps in a borrower’s employment history, the following may apply: “For Borrowers with gaps in employment of six months or | more...

February 16, 2017

Credit Score Rules For FHA Mortgages

By Joe Wallace

There’s a common reader question about credit score rules for FHA mortgage loans that we get from time to time that goes something like this: “Is it possible to have a low credit score (500-600) and still get an FHA mortgage?” FHA loan rules state that borrowers with credit scores at 580 or higher are eligible for maximum financing for FHA home loans, which requires a 3.5% down payment from the borrower. For those with credit scores between 579 and 500, 10% down is required. However, these FICO score numbers are FHA loan minimum standards and lender requirements can be and often are higher. Credit score rules for FHA loans include the following instructions (see below) to the lender found in HUD 4000.1, the FHA single-family mortgage loan rule book. | more...